Last month, the government published the long-awaited consultation on EPC Reform, titled Reforms to the Energy Performance of Buildings regime. The consultation details a number of proposed changes to the EPB framework, including updates to Display Energy Certificates (DECs) currently required for public buildings. Elmhurst has carefully reviewed the consultation and proposals concerning DECs and has shared our insights on the direction we believe reforms for these energy certificates should take.

Use DECs beyond Public Buildings

Elmhurst believes that it would be beneficial to extend the application of DECs beyond public buildings so that they encompass all commercial buildings. In doing so this would provide building owners and tenants with valuable insights into their energy consumption, helping them identify areas for improvement and achieve meaningful energy savings in practice.

Moreover, to ensure DEC’s remain effective and relevant in the evolving energy landscape, both the methodology and the visual format of the certificates should be updated. These improvements will enhance the accuracy of energy performance assessments and improve the communication of key energy metrics to a wider audience, promoting greater energy efficiency across the commercial sector

Stronger Enforcement

One of the key limitations of the current DEC approach is the lack of enforcement. While regulations require certain buildings to display DEC’s, many buildings that should comply are not currently doing so. This reduces the overall impact of the scheme and limits its ability to drive energy efficiency improvements across the sector.

Furthermore, government buildings, which should serve as a benchmark for best practices in energy management, are often failing to lead by example. Stronger enforcement measures are needed to ensure compliance, particularly within the public sector. By doing so, the government can demonstrate leadership in energy efficiency and encourage wider adoption of DEC’s in both public and commercial buildings.

Consider EPCs for Public Buildings

Question 24 of the consultation asks “What alternative approaches, if any, could drive energy performance improvements more effectively than DECs for public sector buildings?”. Our response would be the use of the Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) alongside DECs.

EPC’s provide a more detailed assessment of a building’s energy efficiency by focusing on the fabric of the building, heating systems, insulation levels, and renewable energy potential. Unlike DECs, which are based on actual energy consumption, EPC’s offer recommendations for structural improvements and upgrades that can significantly reduce energy demand over the long term.

By implementing EPC’s alongside DECs, public sector buildings would receive clear action plans for improving their energy efficiency. These improvements would address inefficiencies at their root cause rather than focusing solely on operational behaviours. Additionally, EPC’s can help identify long-term retrofit opportunities, ensuring that public buildings meet net zero carbon goals and perform optimally over time.

Reduce Validity and Maintain Consistency

We agree that the validity period for DECs and DEC Recommendation Reports should be reduced. Elmhurst’s view is that consistency is key and therefore the validity period should stay the same, regardless of the size of building. In our opinion a DEC should only be valid for 1 year irrespective of building size. Additionally, the DEC Recommendation Report should only be valid for 3 years because this would provide consistency with other energy certificates that require a site visit to establish whether changes have occurred at the property.

Elmhurst encourages its members, and anyone involved in the industry to read and respond to the government consultation in advance of the deadline on the 26^th February. Elmhurst will be sharing its full draft response with members in the coming weeks.

Related Links

To read the government consultation, please click the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reforms-to-the-energy-performance-of-buildings-regime/reforms-to-the-energy-performance-of-buildings-regime